Kafkania, Karavas - 2006
Informations Générales
Numéro de la notice
8299
Année de l'opération
2006
Chronologie
Mots-clés
Nature de l'opération
Institution(s)
Localisation
Toponyme
Kavkonia, Kaikania
Kavkonia, Kaikania
Notices et opérations liées
Description
Kafkania, Karavas. Olympia Vikatou (Z’ EPKA) reports on the discovery of a Mycenaean chamber tomb. The dromos was 5.5 m. long and 1.7 m. wide, sloping slightly downwards. About 2 m. from the opening of the dromos and just below the surface were three stones, laid carefully together. According to the excavator they represent the grave marker. Burnt soil between the first and second stones, together with a two-handled brown-glazed skyphos, were probably part of the mortuary ceremony.
The entrance to the grave had an arched lintel of 1.20 m. high by 0.90 m. wide and 0.90 m. deep and was sealed by rubble. The chamber was trapezoidal, its northern side 4.13 m. long, the other three sides 3.5 m. The front of the chamber was 3.20 m. high. Two burial levels were identified. Three primary burials as well as skeletal remains from secondary burials were located on a level which was 1.3 m. above the floor of the chamber. The bodies were lying on their backs and at different orientations. The primary inhumations had multiple grave goods including amphorae, a juglet, spindle-whorls and a steatite seal stone depicting an animal, possibly an ibex. Finds from the secondary burials included various jars and three spindle-whorls.
The burials at the lower chamber level included nine inhumations, one next to the other and covering the whole of the floor of the tomb (Fig. 1). The bodies were aligned on a NE-SW axis, although preservation of the skeletal remains was poor. In burial four, the long bones were crossed and grave goods were abundant and diverse. They included various types of jars (cups, dippers, small pithoi, amphorae, alabastra and juglets), bronze shaving implements, spindle-whorls, pins and beads. More grave goods were found in the north-east corner of the chamber.
Below the level of the nine inhumations, were three pit graves covered by poros and shellstone slabs. Each pit contained one burial and all had grave goods. The most important find associated with the burials was a diadem of three rows of glass plaques which had decorated the head of a female (Fig. 2).
On the basis of the grave goods, use of the chamber tomb was dated to between Late Helladic IIIA2 and IIIC.
The entrance to the grave had an arched lintel of 1.20 m. high by 0.90 m. wide and 0.90 m. deep and was sealed by rubble. The chamber was trapezoidal, its northern side 4.13 m. long, the other three sides 3.5 m. The front of the chamber was 3.20 m. high. Two burial levels were identified. Three primary burials as well as skeletal remains from secondary burials were located on a level which was 1.3 m. above the floor of the chamber. The bodies were lying on their backs and at different orientations. The primary inhumations had multiple grave goods including amphorae, a juglet, spindle-whorls and a steatite seal stone depicting an animal, possibly an ibex. Finds from the secondary burials included various jars and three spindle-whorls.
The burials at the lower chamber level included nine inhumations, one next to the other and covering the whole of the floor of the tomb (Fig. 1). The bodies were aligned on a NE-SW axis, although preservation of the skeletal remains was poor. In burial four, the long bones were crossed and grave goods were abundant and diverse. They included various types of jars (cups, dippers, small pithoi, amphorae, alabastra and juglets), bronze shaving implements, spindle-whorls, pins and beads. More grave goods were found in the north-east corner of the chamber.
Below the level of the nine inhumations, were three pit graves covered by poros and shellstone slabs. Each pit contained one burial and all had grave goods. The most important find associated with the burials was a diadem of three rows of glass plaques which had decorated the head of a female (Fig. 2).
On the basis of the grave goods, use of the chamber tomb was dated to between Late Helladic IIIA2 and IIIC.
Auteur de la notice
Michael Loy
Références bibliographiques
ADelt 62 (2007) Chr., 423-425
Légende graphique :
localisation de la fouille/de l'opération
localisation du toponyme
polygone du toponyme Chronique
Fonctionnalités de la carte :
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Date de création
2020-05-29 15:59:38
Dernière modification
2024-01-17 09:35:21
Figure(s)
Fig. 1/ Mycenaean chamber grave burial surface
Fig. 2/ Mycenaean female cranium from the chamber grave